What is Your heart set on?

The Lord has been dealing with me on a few issues. (He's always working on something- which is a good thing! I don't want Him to ever stop working on me! That could/would be terrible! ) Back to the issue at hand- what are my thoughts fixed on? What is my heart set on? The answer is going to be different for each of us, but we must answer it and answer it truthfully. As much as I love my family, I can't have my heart set on them. As much as you love ______ (fill in the blank), you can't set your heart on that thing or person. "We all set our hearts on attaining things that God does not want us to have or to have right now." Our hearts and thoughts need to be fixed on Christ. When we set our hearts on anything other than Christ, we are creating an idol in our heart.

Idols in our hearts. What is an idol? An idol can be good things and bad things. An idol can be anything that we want so badly that we are willing to sin to get or attain. Once we choose to sin that means we are worshipping an idol rather than Christ. Even Christians can have idols in our hearts. As wives, we can have idols in our hearts. We can even make our husbands an idol! Each of us is worshipping something or someone within our heart every minute of every day. Who or what we worship is "what's on our mind," "what is really important to you," and "what you have our heart set on." A harsh reality, isn't it? As I read those words myself, the sting hit - OUCH!

David used the word "pontification" last night and I think it fits here. This is the time for pontification. I've been pondering on this for several days now. The best explanation I have found is in one of my most cherished books, "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace. She says:

"For example, going fishing is fun and certainly not sinful. However, idolatry comes in to play at the point that the fisherman does not get to go on a planned trip and he sins. The problem is his affections are set on fishing, not on the Lord Jesus. Fishing could possibly have become an idol. A person whose heart is set on fishing may become angry, frustrated, feel self-pitying, anxious, manipulative, or bitter. Fishing is not sinful, but what a person thinks about it may be."

Again, more pontification....and again, OUCH!

Be brave and ask yourself : What am I setting my heart on? I'm asking myself. Psalm 139:23-24 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts . See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." That is my prayer today.

I highly recommend the book quoted above. This book changed my life and my relationship with my family. Martha Peace explains idolatry in our hearts and also talks about false saviors as well. Even if you are not a wife yet, you can benefit from this book, in fact, I wish I had read it before I was married! It speaks volumes about the woman's heart and helped me to understand me. Check it out- if you are brave enough!